Remember Me
by Firniswin
Summary: COMPLETE MAJOR SPOILERS FROM HIDALGO Three years after The Ocean of Fire, Frank Hopkins is regretting his descision to let his best friend go. But when his horse, Massimo, runs off he follows him to find someone he never thought to see again.
1. Default Chapter

Remember Me

By Firniswin

Frank T. Hopkins sat on the lonely plain, his horse, Massimo, neighed softly. 

The sound was harsh and angry and Frank just growled at the beast. 

He had never found another horse as perfect as his wonderful boy, Hidalgo. 

And he never intended to, he just wished it. He wished it with all his heart. 

"God," he prayed, yelling it out onto the grassy plains, "Please God! Kill me now!" he called out, then standing up he spread his arms out, waiting for anything. 

Lightning and thunder rolled across the empty grass and Massimo whinnied, bucking lightly in panic as the sound rolled nearer and nearer. 

"Shut up, can't ya see I'm trying to get killed here!" he shouted at the animal in his rage. 

The black horse reared, trying to loosen the rope that was tied round a log.

Instantly, Frank felt guilt wash over him; he never meant to yell at the beast, he never meant to yell at anyone. 

He only wanted one thing-

Another burst of bright light and a crack of thunder.

The night sky lit up and the clouds rumbled over him, as if to say: 'You want more.' But nothing more happened.

Massimo neighed and snorted, bucking and finally releasing the rope that held him where he was anchored.

He reared upon his hind legs and pawed the air, and then rushed away in fright, or was it?

As Frank watched, Massimo was going slow enough for him to follow, and as if to prove his point, the horse turned his head and snorted. 

"Hey!" not even thinking about anything else, Frank took off after the horse, it trotted forward slowly as if to tell him that he was slow, this made Frank's rage boil and he sped up.

As he did, so did the horse.

Finally after what seemed like hours of running, the horse led him to an old broken down barn and coral. 

Neighing and bucking Massimo took off in the other direction, so fast that all Hopkins could do was watch as dust rose up behind him. 

"Well, what was that for?!" he called after the horse, his angry cry echoing off the prairie.

Behind him, a snort answered him and then a frustrated whinny, he looked too see where it came from and saw nothing but the bar and broken, and empty, coral.

"Hello?" he called, making his way slowly and cautiously towards the barn.

Another frightened neigh came forth and he, for a brief moment, thought he knew it. 

'Wait!' a voice inside his head screamed. He did know that voice!

"Little brother?" he called quietly.

No answer.

"Little brother?" he called louder, and this time was surprised by an excited whinny and snort as well as the stamping of hooves.

He smiled, for the first time in years, he truly smiled.

"Hold on little brother! Hold on!" he ran forward hopping into the door way, he stumbled as his foot connected with an old box.

Stumbling until his leg was caught bad on the wooden box edge, he flipped and his leg gave a sickening crack

He felt a fiery pain run up his entire leg. Crying out he almost felt tears of pain in his silver eyes. 

A concerned snort came from a little ways away and Frank tried to smile, but his pain shot up his leg and he cried out again.

"Are you there little brother?" he almost whispered as pain skittered up his leg. 

A few soft hoof beats and another frustrated neigh made the man smiled. 

"Shhhh… It's alright. Just a moment little brother."

Thunder crashed above and Hidalgo shrieked in horror, his eyes going wide, he reared and pounded his hooves in the dirt. 

Bracing himself, Frank used one of the troublesome boxes and, not using his broken leg, Lifted himself into a standing position.

Hissing and almost blacking out in pain, he leaned heavily against the crate. 

Now that he was standing, he could see Hidalgo easier, the horse was standing alone, tied to a pole.

Frank knew that usually Hidalgo could untie the ropes, but he could see that whoever had left the horse had tied the lead rope in knots.

It looked as if the painted mustang had not eaten in days. He was gaunt and his once joyous eyes were haunted in the soft light that was coming through the dark clouds. 

There was a roof, but it was broken down and pieces were ripped off so sunlight splayed through and landed upon both horse and man as well as the rest of the old barn.

"Looks like you could use some food, eh?"

With a neigh of approval the beast snorted, then turned his head to look at Frank. The horses eyes stopped on his left leg, it was hanging at a very wrong angle.

Noticing the horse's worried stare, Frank smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a knife he leaned more against the box.

"You remember how to do this?" he asked the painted horse. 

Hidalgo nodded his head deeply and snorted. 

"I just don't want to loose it if you are not sure what to do?" he said getting ready.

Neighing, Hidalgo reared upon his hind legs and stomped the earth. This movement caused the barn to shake and Frank put his hand up as a sign of peace. 

"I am sorry." he said chuckling. "I did not mean to offend you, just don't get us killed alright."

Nodding again Hidalgo let all his breath out and stared patiently at his friend. 

"Ready?"

The painted horse snorted and pawed the earth. 

"Here't goes." he turned the knife so the handle was facing Hidalgo and then with a grunt, he threw it towards the horse. 

The only thing Frank hoped, now more than ever, was that his aim was still true after all these years….

****

TBC~ 

I decided to be nasty and make this a chapter story. J I know, you can all kill me if you like, but I warn you, if I die, who's gonna write the story.

Death threats due to worry about the horse are fine, I rather enjoy them.

Death threats due to you not liking my story are not accepted. 

NO flames please!!!

So please R&R! Tell me what you think!!!!!!!!!!

~* Think you can do better? Go onto my website, **www.toppetz.homestead.com**** and enter my Hidalgo story contest!!!! *~**

OK, tell me what you think!!!!! I relish in reviews!!!! J J J J 


	2. Chapter Two

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Ok, so I am not all knowing horse person, so just politely tell me if

something is put wrong. Thanks!!! Onto the last chapter!

Chapter 2

He almost wanted to close his eyes, he did not want the knife to hit Hidalgo, 'Oh Lord, please no!' He prayed inwardly, hoping desperately that the knife had been aimed right and that, as he had said, that his aim was still as good as it had once been.

Watching the knife fly was the most horrible experience, especially when it was flying straight for his best friend.

Hidalgo's neigh of delight alerted him to the fact, he had never lost what he had long ago learned.

The knife had landed, metal first, in the dirt and was sticking up, wood end to the sky.

Nickering, the painted stallion leaned his tied neck forward and grasped the wooden end of the knife in his strong jaws and sharp teeth.

"Good job, little brother!" Frank smiled and cheered for the horse.

Turning his head to the side, Hidalgo slowly sawed the knife on the ropes that lay against the dark wood.

Lightning flashed above and rain seeped slowly through the broken down barn, the water dripped upon horse and man.

"Come on. You can do it little brother." Frank whispered as he tried to push the pain aside; he knew little of healing human injuries, but he need not be a scientist to tell this was a rather bad break.

The horse grunted as if to tell him to "Shut up."

"Sorry." he said softly, trying to scoot away from the rain, but he easily found that there was no getting away from it.

A few slices and Hidalgo had himself free, the rope hung from his neck, the horse slowly made his way over to his friend.

Frank grabbed his knife from the mustang and patted the horse's neck affectionately.

"Good boy." he whispered, the horse nickered and licked the man's head.

Frank felt tears sting his eyes; he had never thought he would see Hidalgo again. He had been sure of it.

But here the horse was, standing right beside him and biting at his hair playfully.

Leaning forward, the man hugged Hidalgo around the neck and the tears that were trailing down his cheeks slid down the horse's painted coat.

"I missed you sooooo much, little brother." he whispered as the animal nickered softly in his ear.

'As did I.' Hidalgo seemed to say, and Frank took it as that. He knew that Hidalgo would still not come back with him. The horse seemed happy on his own, but maybe Hidalgo would help him.

"Easy little brother." he chided as he tried to climb to his feet, pain stabbed through his entire leg and he yelped.

Hidalgo shifted anxiously, but waited for his friend to mount him.

"Shh… I'm sorry." Frank whispered tried to make his crumpled leg work under the strain. "Please, God." he prayed as he slowly rose once more to his injured foot.

He felt the pain die down some, and without hesitation, he jumped onto his friend's back.

After he had jumped, his foot erupted with pain and he felt his world begin to spin.

But even though he saw the world whirl around him, beneath him was one solid thing.

Hidalgo slowly made his way out through the back of the barn and, all the while conscious of Frank's weary body, trotted through the golden fields as the sun's last rays turned from the darkening sky.

Frank felt his mind flitter away as he realized that he was safe and Hidalgo would let nothing happen to him.

His little brother had remembered who he was and so had he when Hidalgo's sharp neigh had pierced the darkness.

'Remember me!'

****

Ok, so sorry for such a lame ending. But I really wanted to finish that so you all could rest easy. J Hope it was ok, I really was not meant to write anything but LotR stories. I have no discipline for other stories. sigh Oh well!

Anyway, hope you liked it! PLEASE R&R! No flames!!! Thanks!!!!!

P.S.- I know someone or a few of you said that frank was too out of character. Well if I would have made him all happy and joyful and sweet, that would have been even more out of character. In this story, he is sad that Hidalgo left and even though he yells at Massimo, he means nothing he says. It is just pure rage at God for allowing this to happen. So, ya, that's about it. And yes, he still respects horses.


End file.
